Page 103 of The Exiled Dragon

“I’m using Ondi’s powers inside you because I cannot do it alone, not something this powerful. This can only happen with me here. I’m breaking so many rules right now, but I think it’s worth it.” Hecate breathed heavily, putting her hands in a praying position.

“You aren’t breaking any rules. I’m here helping use their pre-bonding love; if you don’t do this, we will be screwed later with the blood magic stuff, and…” Hecate threw her hand over Aphrodite’s mouth.

“Bitch, you messed up my lipstick,” Aphrodite grumbled.

Hecate had me copy her arm movements. She mumbled in a Greek and Latin dialect that I couldn’t understand. The surrounding wind rustled. Creed immediately came beside me. Hecate grabbed his hand and put it on my shoulder. Apollo did the same, copying his son.

A tingling power started with my toes, flowing and rising like the ocean waves. The further it went up my body, the stronger the surge felt. Once it reached my chest, it pounded into me heavily until it reached the top of my forehead. The pressure was overwhelming, pushing so much power through a small space.

The leaves danced around our feet, and small bolts of lightning tickled my fingers, one rather large coming straight from the middle of my head. My eyes closed, and like a movie reel, I saw Ondi and Apollo at a steaming pond in the middle of winter. They held onto each other, holding, kissing, laughing. Apollo danced with his mate. She laughed, being dipped lower until their eyes met each other. Once their lips touched, the picture of them blurred, and everything came to a halt.

My body came falling into Creed’s arms. The heaviness of my lids was tenfold. Creed was calling my name, shaking my shoulders lightly. I wanted to sleep, the pressure that had pushed through the tiny hole in my head was now gone, but my strength had left. When I could finally open my lids, I found my father-in-law and mate staring back at me. “Ar’ ye all right?” His worried tone had me laugh. I just had a lightning bolt come out of my head, but I was doing just fine.

“Yes,” I whispered. Now I saw another face I did not recognize leaning over us. She looked so familiar until my brain finally rebooted. “Ondi?” I whispered. Apollo stood up, his hand over his heart. Creed and I continued to lie on the floor of the balcony. The goddesses were gone, and now, here stood Creed’s mother.

Ondi.

“Apollo.” Her hands stuck to her chest. The white linen clung to her body while the wind brushed her hair away from her face. “It’s me,” she whispered. Apollo’s legs faltered, stepping back only to lean forward.

Apollo took two large steps to her, picking her up and burying his face into her chest. “Ma Ondi,” he cried. “Ya ’ere, ya ’ere! Gods, they ’ave blessed meh!”

“Mother?” Creed helped me stand as I watched father and son embrace her. They grabbed onto her, both men sobbing. She was no longer standing but held above the ground like a precious jewel that dared not touch the dirt.

Was this what Hecate and Aphrodite were talking about? Could this power inside me bring back Ondi? With the help of Hecate, of course, but… it was too much, so surreal that this could happen. The Bible on Earth tells stories of a select few that had been resurrected from the dead, such as Lazarus and Jesus. This, this was something else entirely. She had no scars, no imperfections, but her body was that of flesh and bone. Nothing like the gods that stood before us. Ondi was real. She cried actual tears and touched her men like she had been doing it for years.

“The black magic.” Hecate had returned and stood behind me. Turning, I noticed Aphrodite was still missing, but Hecate’s demeanor had darkened. “The black magic laced with Dragon’s blood is strong, Odessa. It can wipe out an entire race. Magic grows each day, and this magic is becoming too powerful, even for me. Magic evolves constantly, and I can barely control it myself sometimes. It is up to the rulers of Bergarian to snuff it out now before it gets out of hand.” I gripped my dress, hearing her words of warning.

“You cannot repeat the spell we just accomplished, Odessa. Ondi was taken from this world by black magic, but not fully. She refused to cross over. You and your mate's bond is so powerful, it magnified the magic Ondi had passed on. Powerful enough to bring her back from the in-between.” I stared back at her with awe. “Her fierce love kept her from seeing the light, even if she was covered in black magic. Her soul knew to wait for her mate to find her once his spell was broken. Falling in love before a bond is almost unheard of, but you both did. You helped save Creed’s parents, little Dragon.” I sniffed, wanting to cry. Apollo and Creed continued to hold on to Ondi tightly.

“Love can conquer almost anything,” she whispered. “Remember that.”

Hecate sighed, her eyes tired and her body no longer rigid. “I suggest you get some rest, little Dragon. You have some fights to win.” Before I could ask a single question, the bright light that had blinded me earlier blasted quickly, then faded away as fast as it came.

Bewildered at what had occurred, I rubbed my forehead. A slight sting came from it, but nothing that wasn’t manageable. Both of the Shifters in front of me sat Ondi, a precious woman in their lives, down on the floor. Apollo still gripped onto her tightly. Creed’s body shifted, holding out his hand for me to come.

“My fawn, I want you to meet someone.” Knowing who she already was, I took Creed’s hand gladly, her soft eyes still looking at her mate. They were complete opposites, just like Creed and I. Apollo had a dangerous allure about him, one that I found similar to Creed, which didn’t scare me in the slightest. Ondi reminded me of what I would have wanted in a mother. Caring, passionate, and so soft. Her beautiful eyes held mine as she gracefully held out her hand. She smiled softly, her hand cupping my cheek.

“This is the girl that has my fledgling so enamored.” Her voice was soft, delicate. “I hope he has treated you well.” I hummed, touching the hand that cupped my cheek.

“Thanks to you, he certainly has.”

Chapter Sixty

Creed

EverythingIhaveeverwanted, my family was right here on this balcony. My mother, my father and my mate. Everyone’s animals purred collectively as we held onto each other. I had worried Odessa might feel left out of our embrace, but luckily, she was as happy as I was, if not more so.

Her feelings through the bond showed excitement, love, and wanting. Odessa wanted us all to be together as one family, one unit. My Dragon had wanted this for so long, to be a part of something bigger, and here it was, our own tribe.

“You are just adorable.” My mother cupped her face. “Everything I would have wanted in a mate for Creed! I bet he hasn’t even fought before you yet, has he? To keep your little eyes clean of all that savageness?” Odessa shyly shook her head. My fawn had seen enough blood come from her body and the bodies of other humans in Vermillion. She needed to see nothing else.

“This is your mating celebration; you should go back inside,” mother cooed at us. “Dance with her, Creed, as I taught you.” Mother had shown me how Faes and Shifters dance. It was like humans, and she told me I would have to dance like this one day. Now I wonder if it was because of a higher power that told her.

“Go on,” she shooed us to the inside. I smiled at her, giving her one last hug. I knew I would not see my mother the rest of the evening. My father was eying her too lustfully. His hand was already tracing the side of her waist, his nose tickling her neck. She giggled, eyes full of love, and her hand tickled his bare chest at the opening of his vest. “Your father and I need some time alone.” She winked.

With a skip in my step, I pulled Odessa over my shoulder. Squealing, she held onto my back, squeezing my side. “I'm going to ask again, how do you get them so hard? It’s like I’m grabbing a rock. Do you do squats when I’m not around? They just bulge every time you walk. Boulder, boulder, boulder…”

I slapped her behind, her laughter now invading the ballroom halls. The lights began to dim; the flashing lights calmed, and the music from strange boxes stopped playing. Now the harps, stringed instruments of the Fae and Elves, started playing softer, slower music.

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